https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Muhammad_SaniMuhammad Sani - Revision history2026-08-08T00:21:37ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Muhammad_Sani&diff=160764&oldid=prev2A02:C7F:D502:8D00:CD1D:C3F:A405:B9B3: /* Background */2021-07-24T11:25:27Z<p><span class="autocomment">Background</span></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Infobox person<br />
| honorific_prefix = [[Qadi]]<br />
| name = Muhammad Sani<br />
| image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] --><br />
| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --><br />
| caption = <br />
| birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --><br />
| birth_date = 16th-century<br />
| birth_place = [[South Asia]]<br />
| death_date = Late 17th-century<br />
| death_place = [[Imphal district|Imphal]], [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]]<br />
| other_names = Parsena Lanjingland Muhamadani, Mangal Ningthou Sayi<br />
| occupation = Headman<br />
| spouse = Nongthombam Maitek<br/>Chakpram Melei<br />
| years_active = <br />
| known_for = Muslim settlement in Manipur<br />
| notable_works = <br />
}}<br />
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'''Muhammad Sani''' (also called '''Parsena Lanjingland Muhamadani''' or '''Mangal Ningthou Sayi''' in [[Meitei language|Meitei]]){{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=40}} was a 17th-century nobleman who led the first settlement of [[Muslim]]s (regionally known as [[Pangal]]s) into the [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur Kingdom]], what is now the [[India]]n state of [[Manipur]]. After invading the region in alliance with a renegade prince, Sani and his troops were captured by King [[Khagemba]], who integrated them into Manipuri society. Sani eventually became a prominent figure in the royal court and aided in the establishment of subsequent Muslim migrants. He and his family are the ancestors of a number of present-day Pangal clans.<br />
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==Historiography==<br />
The arrival of the [[Pangal]] community into [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]] during the 17th century was mainly recorded in indigenous primary sources such as the ''[[Cheithalon Kumpapa]]'' (the court chronicle of the [[List of Manipuri kings|kings of Manipur]]) and the ''[[Nongsamei Puya]]''.{{sfnp|Irene|2010|p=26}}{{sfnp|Khan|2014|p=117}} These extensively discuss the initial invasion led by Muhammad Sani, the community's establishment in the region and the interactions which were subsequently enabled between Manipur and [[Taraf (Bengal)|Taraf]], where the early Pangals had originated.{{sfnp|Khan|2014|p=117}}{{sfnp|Sanajaoba|1988|pp=116, 162}} However, the histories of Taraf (as well as that of [[Sylhet Division|Sylhet]] in general) are silent about these events. Moreover, it is notable that the descriptions of Taraf provided by the ''Nongsamei Puya'' erroneously place it on the banks of the [[Surma River]], which is actually of considerable distance from the former's present-day location of [[Habiganj District]].{{sfnp|Sanajaoba|1988|p=116}}<br />
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==Background==<br />
Muhammad Sani was a descendant of Mirza Malik Muhammad Turani,{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=92}} a 14th century [[Persians|Persian]] noble from whom the rulers of the [[Pratapgarh Kingdom]] also traced their ancestry.{{sfnp|Choudhury|2000|pp=288–90}} His elder brother, named Muhammad Nazir or [[Bayazid of Sylhet|Bayazid Karrani]], was the ruler of [[Taraf (Bengal)|Taraf]] in [[Sylhet Division|Sylhet]].{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=27}}{{NoteTag|Historian [[Syed Murtaza Ali]] suggests that Bayazid Karrani was identical to Bazid, a ruler of the aforementioned Pratapgarh Kingdom.{{sfnp|Ali|1965|p=69}}}}<br />
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==Invasion of Manipur==<br />
In 1606, the Taraf king was approached by the Manipuri prince [[Shanongba]] for aid in an invasion against his brother, the reigning monarch [[Khagemba]].{{sfnp|Sanajaoba|1988|p=162}} 1000 [[Muslim]] soldiers were dispatched under Sani's command, in addition to several other military leaders, including his younger brothers Shah Kusum, Sheikh Juned and Kourif Sheikh.{{sfnp|Khan|2014|p=121}}{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=27}}<br />
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The army invaded Manipur in conjunction with troops from the [[Dimasa Kingdom|Kingdom of Kachar]], who Shanongba had also allied with. They entered the region of [[Khoupom]], with the Taraf soldiers establishing a base on the banks of the [[Sarel Yangoi River]] while the Kachari remained on the upper hills.{{sfnp|Irene|2010|p=28}} However, upon observing the arriving Manipuri army, the Kachari became intimidated by their military arsenal and retreated during the night, returning to their homeland without informing the Muslims. The latter subsequently chose to engage with the Manipuri alone and in the ensuing battle at Toubul (in present-day [[Bishnupur district]]), successfully defeated them.{{sfnp|Sanajaoba|1988|p=162}} This prompted Khagemba to approach Sani diplomatically, sending his courtier Nongshamei to negotiate a mutual withdrawal of troops. However, upon Sani's agreement, the Manipuri force surrounded the now-unarmed Taraf troops and forced them to surrender on pain of death.{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=31}}<br />
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==Pangal settlement in Manipur==<br />
The defeated soldiers opted (or were perhaps forced) to settle in Manipur and Sani was allocated fertile territory on the bank of the [[Imphal River|Imphal]] and [[Iril River|Iril rivers]], in what is present-day [[Moirangkhom Yaiskul]], to establish his people.{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=40}}{{sfnp|Irene|2010|p=34}} They were given work depending on their respective skills, married to [[Meitei people|Meitei]] wives and in time adopted the regions dress, traditions and [[Meitei language|language]], eventually becoming known as Pangals.{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=31}}{{sfnp|Irene|2010|p=9}}{{NoteTag|Among the suggested origins for this term was that Khagemba, on account of the bravery shown by Sani during the battle, referred to him as ''panganba'' and his troops as ''pangal'', with the latter eventually becoming a general term for Muslims.{{sfnp|Khan|2014|pp=117–18}}}} It has been generally accepted that this was the first settlement of Muslims in Manipur.{{sfnp|Kipgen|2010|p=50}}<br />
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Sani himself received 12 acres of land and two Meitei wives named Nongthombam Maitek and Chakpram Melei.{{sfnp|Khan|2014|p=132}} He was favoured by Khagemba and had a privileged position in the royal court.{{sfnp|Irene|2010|p=9}} Appointed as ''[[Qadi|Qazi-ul-Qazat]]'' (chief judge) of the nascent Muslim community, Sani served the dual role of supervising the judiciary and being a ''lalchingba'' ([[major]]), leading Pangal soldiers during times of war.{{sfnp|Irene|2010|pp=196, 209}} He was also one of the ''[[Pongba Tara]]'', the ten ministers who assisted the king in administration, and was further entrusted with translating correspondence from Taraf due to his fluency in [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Urdu]].{{sfnp|Irene|2010|pp=58, 190}}<br />
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In later years, Sani aided in the establishment of further Muslim migrants in the kingdom. In 1608, Syed Ambiya, Syed Abdullah and Syed Khalka Hussain, brothers of the Taraf king's spiritual advisor Syed Auriya, were honoured and settled by Khagemba on Sani's advice.{{NoteTag|Sani's son Ahong was later married to Syed Ambiya's daughter and they became the ancestors of the Tampakmayum clan.{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|p=31}}}} Much later, during the reign of King Paikhomba (r.1666–1697), Sani introduced a further 37 Muslims who, in return for gifts of gold and elephants, were also permitted to reside in Manipur. Among them were Sunarphool, Miliya Sheikh, Phuleicha Sandulla Sheikh, Leithou and Sheikh Jali.{{sfnp|Khan|2014|p=119}} Many of these individuals are the founders of extant Manipuri Pangal clans.{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|pp=87–90}}<br />
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Sani's descendants subsequently continued to hold a place in the royal court.{{sfnp|Irene|2010|p=194}} The present-day [[Touthongmayum clan|Touthongmayum]], [[Khullakpam clan|Khullakpam]], [[Tampakmayum clan|Tampakmayum]] and [[Chesabam clan|Chesabam]] clans trace their ancestry from Sani and his younger brothers.{{sfnp|Khan|2014|p=132}}{{sfnp|Nazir|2013|pp=90–92}}<br />
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==Notes==<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==Bibliography==<br />
*{{Citation|last=Ali|first=Syed Murtaza|authorlink=Syed Murtaza Ali|title=হযরত শাহ জালাল ও সিলেটের ইতিহাস|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WJk9AAAAMAAJ|year=1965|publisher=বাঙলা একাডেমী|location=Dhaka|language=Bangla}}<br />
*{{Citation|last=Choudhury|first=Achyut Charan|authorlink=Achyut Charan Choudhury|title=Srihatter Itibritta: Purbangsho|year=2000|orig-year=1910|publisher=Kotha|location=Kolkata|language=Bangla|url=https://bn.m.wikisource.org/wiki/পাতা:শ্রীহট্টের_ইতিবৃত্ত_-_পূর্বাংশ.pdf/৩১২}}<br />
*{{Citation|last=Irene|first=Salam|title=The Muslims of Manipur|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RHmkHBTT_T0C&pg=PA10|year=2010|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=978-81-7835-828-4}}<br />
*{{Citation|last=Khan|first=Md. Chingiz|title=Socio-Cultural And Religious Facets Of Manipuri Muslims During The 17th And 18th Centuries |url=https://www.academia.edu/9378077|journal=International Journal of Research (IJR)|volume=1|issue=8|year=2014|publisher=IJR|location=New Delhi|issn=2348-6848}}<br />
*{{Citation|last=Kipgen|first=Tingneichong G.|title=Women's Role in the 20th Century Manipur: A Historical Study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sIEOy8SRLv8C&pg=PA50|year=2010|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=978-81-7835-803-1}}<br />
*{{Citation|last=Nazir|first=Ahamad|title=The Muslims in Manipur: A study in their History and Culture|year=2013|url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/39985|publisher=Manipur University|location=Imphal}}<br />
*{{Citation|last=Sanajaoba|first=Naorem|title=Manipur, Past and Present|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-CzSQKVmveUC|volume=IV|year=1988|publisher=Mittal Publications|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-7099-853-2}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sani, Muhammad}}<br />
[[Category:History of Manipur]]<br />
[[Category:Pangal people]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:16th-century Bengalis]]<br />
[[Category:16th-century Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:17th-century Bengalis]]<br />
[[Category:17th-century Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:People from Sylhet]]<br />
[[Category:People from Habiganj District]]</div>2A02:C7F:D502:8D00:CD1D:C3F:A405:B9B3